What We Lose, What We Gain
by The Stone Troubadour
Summary: Kristoff was never really a people person, but even less so since he returned early from his second tour overseas. Anna loves to interact and make friends, determined to make up for a somewhat lacking childhood. Living across the hall from one another, they were bound to meet. Kristoff just didn't think Anna would…barge into his life the way she did. (Modern AU)
1. Giving You Someone to Talk to

For this game, Kristoff was going to need complete focus.

He had comfortably denned himself up in the back room, switched off all the lights, and put on his headphones to block out any other noise but the game's. He wasn't going to get distracted by _anything_.

"Hiya, Kris! Oooh, I heard this game was really scary!"

The blond nearly jumped out of his skin at the unexpected voice.

"W-What...What are you- Huh?" Kristoff stammered out, yanking the headphones off his head just as one of the animatronic animals killed him in the game. He frowned at the screech emitted through his headphones, and the static-y game over screen that came up on his monitor.

The young woman winced, sucking in a breath through her teeth. "Oops...Sorry," she apologized, wringing her hands together anxiously.

Kristoff shook his head a bit, fumbling to say something coherent as he scrambled out of his comfortable computer chair to turn on the lights again. "How did you get into my apartment?!" he finally managed to blurt out, trying not to hyperventilate. He'd been dangerously close to retaliating out of utter shock at the intrusion, which set him on edge almost as much as the fact that _there was someone in his apartment_.

"Oh, well, that one's easy! Your door was unlocked," she replied, smiling brightly as the lights were flicked back on.

She said that like it was an obvious invitation inside...

Kristoff lapsed into silence for a while, the corner of his mouth twitching downward as he struggled to find his words again. "The...Uh, the lock's broken...," he mumbled, tugging at the hem of his hoodie in discomfort. An old nervous tic that he couldn't seem to kick down for good.

The woman pursed her lips in confusion at that. "Shouldn't you get that fixed?" she asked, tucking a strand of red-gold hair behind her ear.

"...That's why I've got Sven..."

"Sven...? Oh! Is that your dog's name? He's such a cutie!" she gushed, eyes bright as she recalled the big dog that greeted her - tail wagging - at the door.

"He's not _cute_. He's a guard dog. Guard dogs aren't _cute_," Kristoff grumbled, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall.

_"That's it, Krissy Boy, pretend like you're comfortable and nonchalant! Don't wanna let on that you're scared of a girl half your size!"_

Kristoff shook his head, eyes tightly shut. "_What_ are you doing here...?"

"Anna," the redhead supplied, still all cheery smiles.

"Yeah, whatever...What are you doing in my apartment, _Anna_," Kristoff asked again, patience wearing thin.

She seemed to turn a bit sheepish at that. "Well...Okay, this is the thing. My shower's been...not working for almost a week now, and the landlord has kinda _ignored my messages_ - I mean, I don't want to say he's doing it on _purpose_, but I've been taking showers at my friend's place for _days_-"

"You're still not telling me how I fit into all this, or why you're standing in my apartment right now, Freckles," Kristoff cut in.

"I'm getting to that, Kristoffer."

"Kristoff."

"Fine, fine! _Kristoff_. I was hoping you could fix my shower? I heard that you were pretty handy with stuff like this," Anna spoke in a rush, laying a pair of big, blue eyes on the blond.

Kristoff gave her a deadpanned expression in return. "...Are you kidding me?"

"I...I can pay you," Anna added, seeming to have lost a bit of her confidence.

Kristoff looked like he was going to flat-out refuse her, but then he sighed, letting his head knock against the wall with a dull noise. "...I'll come by tomorrow morning, and-"

"No, now. Right now," Anna interrupted, fidgeting with her hands, until eventually just resting them on her hips. "Come on, I'm tired of going next door to use my friend's shower!"

Kristoff gave her a look, pushing himself off the wall. "Alright...Just let me get my stuff, and then we can head over to your broken shower," he grumbled, heading out of the room. "Don't. Touch. _Anything_. Got it?" he tacked on in a warning tone, glancing at her over his shoulder.

"I won't, jeez! I'm not a kid," Anna huffed, following him out of the room and down the short hallway.

Sven, the dog that had greeted her so friendly earlier, perked up from his place on the worn sofa. His tail thumped against the back of the couch, tongue lolling as he watched Anna step into the main room again.

"Hey, you!" Anna grinned, scratching the dog behind the ear. "I don't care what your grumpy owner says, you're a cute puppy dog. Yes, you are! Yes, you are!" she praised in a baby voice, massaging the dog's ears as she spoke.

"Don't talk to him like that," Kristoff said in a vaguely annoyed tone, hefting an old tool box in one hand. He hadn't gotten the darn thing out of the hallway closet for quite a while, and had to dig through some other junk that had been piled onto it. "Come on, Freckles, I thought you were in a hurry to take a shower," he snarked, trudging over to the door and holding it open for her. He wasn't being a gentlemen, he just wanted to make sure she actually left his apartment.

"I don't _need_ to take a shower right now, I'm clean, thank you very much. I just want it to get fixed," Anna replied curtly, straightening from her hunched position by the couch. "Besides, I think he appreciates a nice word or two - especially if he's stuck with you for company all day," she quipped, giving him an "I can play ball, too" look as she brushed past him and out the door.

Kristoff rolled his eyes, whistling for Sven to follow before closing the door.

* * *

><p>"So...How long have you lived in Arendelle?" Anna asked, perched - with her knees drawn up to her chest - on the toilet as Kristoff tinkered with the shower. She'd been trying to strike up a conversation, but quickly found out that Kristoff was a man of few words and blunt responses.<p>

She kept trying anyway.

"City, or county?" he asked in return, surprising Anna with his lack of a "Yes" or "No" response.

She could work with that!

"Um, either, I guess," Anna shrugged, smiling a bit when she heard the click-clack of Sven's claws in the other room.

The dog was having a blast sniffing out a new place, and Anna didn't mind him wandering around - so long as he didn't try to mark anything.

Kristoff fiddled with the knobs that controlled the water temperature and flow, frowning when just a dribble of water escaped the shower head. "Lived in the county my whole life, been in the city for a...couple of years now," he answered, craning his neck at an awkward angle so that he could get a better look at the shower head.

"Oh, yeah? How do you like living in the city?" Anna hummed questioningly. She had only _ever_ lived in the city.

Kristoff's eyes narrowed when he saw what looked like a dent in the piping just behind the shower head, the metal almost completely pinched shut - which, obviously, meant no water flow. It probably wouldn't look great, but he could force it back into shape. "It's not the mountains, but it's good enough," he mumbled, reaching for a hammer and a wrench out of his tools. Nothing a good hit or two couldn't fix - and, if not, he'd just replace the whole shower head.

"You used to live up in the mountains? That sounds nice! Oh, did you have a cabin?" Anna asked, resting her chin on her knees. Her family used to camp up in the mountains during summer, and they always rented out a cabin for the duration of the trip.

"...More of a...repurposed lodge. There, that should do i-" Kristoff's words came to a sudden stop when water blasted him directly in the face, a steady stream finally able to flow through the once-dented pipe and shower head.

Anna snorted, a hand flying up to her mouth in an attempt to smother her laughter. "Oh, my gosh! I am _so_ sorry!" she managed to get out, slipping off the toilet seat to grab a towel for him.

Kristoff spluttered, quickly shutting off the flow of water. He stood there in the shower for a moment, blinking water droplets out of his eyes and looking rather dazed. "...Guess I forgot to turn off the water before doing that...," he mumbled, round cheeks flushing a faint red.

"Guess so...," Anna echoed in a giggly tone, a smile twitching at her full lips as she held out a fluffy towel for him.

Glancing from the offered towel to his drenched hoodie, Kristoff grunted in appreciation as he took the towel.

"I can put your hoodie in the dryer...if you want - n-not your other wet clothes, that would be...awkward, but I _really_ am sorry you got all soaked like that," she babbled, blue eyes flitting about as Kristoff toweled off his hair and face.

"Do you always talk this much?" he asked, eyeing her from the folds of the yellow towel she'd given him.

"When I'm nervous, or excited, or really happy - so, a lot of the time? Most of the time? Most of the time," Anna answered, rocking back on her heels. "So...Dryer, hoodie. Yay or nay?"

Ruffling his messy hair with the towel once more, Kristoff stepped out of the shower. "Uh, no - thanks. Should probably head out, now that the shower's fixed and all that."

"Oh..." Anna tried not to sound too disappointed. "Well, let me get what I owe you-"

"Nah, forget about it. You don't owe me anything, Freckles," Kristoff interrupted, bunching the towel up and tossing it onto the toilet seat.

Anna was more than a little caught off guard by that, since the promise of payment seemed to be the only reason he'd taken the job in the first place. "Thank you, that's very generous of you, but I- Hey, whoa, wait for me!" Anna piped up, scrambling after the blond as he gathered his things and left the bathroom.

Now he was moving too fast for her.

"You've gotta let me pay you back somehow! It's only fair!" she continued, her bare feet slapping against the wood floor. She'd taken her sandals off as soon as they'd gotten into her apartment; Anna hated wearing shoes indoors.

"Consider it a favor, then," Kristoff said over his shoulder, calling for Sven.

"A favor for what?"

"I don't know, you think of something."

"Why should _I _think of something? _You're_ the one doing the favor!"

"But _you're_ the one who seems to care _why_ I'm doing you the favor!" His hand was on the door knob, wet boots leaving half-formed prints on the floor. "I'm leaving now, so-"

"Wait!" Anna blurted out, nearly slipping in one of the miniature puddles he was trailing around her apartment.

Kristoff partially turned around, watching the redhead from the corner of his eye.

"Do you like Chinese food?" Anna asked, strangely breathless.

She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, fidgeting in the silence.

_"You live on take-out. Stay."_

Sven panted somewhere by his knee.

_"Krissy, stay."_

His hand dropped from the door knob.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes: The italics are either used for inner thoughts or flashbacks, and will only have quotation marks for specific lines. Which will be explained later on.<strong>


	2. Don't Turn Out the Light

"So...Mind if I ask how you knew my name?"

Anna looked up from her container of orange chicken and white rice, a few of the white grains stuck to her lips. Her tongue darted out to catch the stray grains of rice, the pink mass of muscle swiping over her lips in a rather unladylike manner. Not that Anna was really a stickler for manners or etiquette; that was more of her sister's thing.

For most of the impromptu meal - and the time spent _waiting _for the food - Anna had been carrying the conversation. She'd brought up as many topics as she could think of, trying to find something that might coax her rather aloof neighbor into speaking more than a handful of words. She flitted from one subject matter to another - the weather, recent news, upcoming holidays - often jumping from one topic so fast that she caused a bit of a verbal train wreck, her words tumbling into one another as they left her mouth.

The only thing she'd really gleaned from him so far was that he liked ice hockey. Anna had only brought up sports after a string of other failed topics of conversation.

But, Kristoff was actually talking now, asking a question without Anna having to prompt him into doing so.

Anna definitely saw this as progress.

"Olaf, just next door to me?" Anna replied, swallowing the food in her mouth. "We've been friends ever since I moved into the building." Which sort of made it sound like she'd been living there for a while, but she had really only been in the building for about four months. "He told me that you have him watch your dog sometimes, when you work a lot? Olaf likes to chat about his day and the people he meets, so your name's come up a few times. Nothing bad, I promise! He just mentioned that you were handy, good with fixing things."

"Right...Olaf," Kristoff mused, his eyes narrowing as he focused on putting a face to the name. "Short li'l guy, right? Brown hair, buck teeth, crooked nose?" he listed off in a questioning tone, looking for confirmation.

"Yup! the one and only!" Anna smiled brightly, happy that the conversation was shifting away from being almost completely one-sided.

Olaf was a sort of funny little guy. He was short, and a rather odd mix of being beanpole skinny everywhere but around his middle and face, where he still seemed to carry a little bit of baby fat. His hair was a dark brown, almost like the color of damp wood, and stuck up at odd angles. His nose was long and pointed, a crooked bump at the bridge of it giving the impression that it had been broken and improperly set, resulting in it healing not quite right.

"He told me that you'd done him a few favors around his place, fixing some things up so he wouldn't have to pay someone else to do it," Anna continued, shifting forward in her seat to grab her drink. "He said you were a good guy, and he recommended you when I was asking about someone to fix my shower."

"Oh, yeah?" Kristoff hummed, cocking an eyebrow at the redhead. He leaned over the edge of the sofa he was seated on with an arm, offering his container of food to Sven and shaking it to get the dog's attention.

Sven raised his head, his ears perking forward as he caught sight of the red and gold container. Digging his snout into the take-out box, Sven got several mouthfuls of pork fried rice before Kristoff took it back for himself.

"Aw, I don't know if that's sweet or kinda gross," Anna commented, catching Sven licking his muzzle in satisfaction.

Kristoff very deliberately - and with a rather pointed look on his face - took a large bite of what Anna assumed was pork fried rice with an extra helping of dog slobber.

She figured he didn't like being called "sweet".

"Oh, gosh, _ew_! Did you really just...? After the dog...? Nope. Nope, nope, nope. That's _definitely_ gross, not sweet," Anna squealed in a mixture of amusement and disgust. It was sort of icky, that much was clear to her, but it was also sort of funny - he was just so serious when he stuck that slobbery stuff in his mouth, she couldn't help it. "I've heard of people letting their pets have human food every now and then, but not actually _sharing_ the food out of the same container like that!"

Kristoff shrugged, shoveling more rice into his mouth. "If I don't share, he begs. And a begging Sven is just...all kinds of sad-"

"Oh, my gosh, you _are_ a softie! You put on this big, tough guy, 'grrrr' face, but you're really just a super fluffy marshmallow, aren'tcha? I'll bet that pooch of yours is _pretty_ spoiled, actually," Anna smiled, her lips quivering with a restrained laugh as she watched the man's face turn an impressive shade of red.

"I- I am _not_ a softie!" Kristoff choked out, all bluster and indignation.

"You know, the more you deny, the more I'm convinced that you're more of a teddy bear than a grizzly," Anna kept at it in a sing-song tone, teasing and light.

This was great! This was the sort of teasing and joking around that friends did, right?

"I'm not, I just-"

"Kris is a softie, Kris is a softie, Kris is a softie~" Anna sang at the top of her lungs, brandishing her plastic fork around like it was a marching baton.

"Knock it off, Freckles...," Kristoff said in a warning tone, voice dangerously low.

_"Krissy, you're too much of a softie for your own good, you know that?"_

Sven had scrambled onto his paws at all of the sudden noise, joining the racket by lending his howls to Anna's voice.

_"Well, it's this 'softie' who's saved your sorry ass more times than __**either**__ of us can count. A little respect wouldn't go unnoticed, you brat."_

Kristoff wasn't hungry anymore, feeling a headache stick its irritating, piercing little claws into his brain. He set his container of food down on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa, shutting his eyes as he ran a hand over his face.

Too many noises, he needed _out_.

_"Aw, is big, bad Lieutenant Bjorgman feeling underappreciated? C'mon, bro, you know I'm just yankin' your chain!"_

_"If by that, you mean you're acting like a childish dick who just got out of boot camp, then, yes."_

"Kris...?"

It wasn't just the noise in the apartment anymore. The howling had shifted into something else for him; bringing back the dust, and the blood, and the terrified shouting.

_"Get down, get down! Ambush! Take cover, and return fire!"_

"Kristoff?"

_"Fucking listen to me for once, you idiot!"_

_"No, I'm not leaving you here - orders or not! It's just your shoulder, we can get that fixed, we can- Krissy, look out!"_

_"__**Sven**__!"_

"Kristoff!"

Kristoff jolted at the proximity of Anna's worried voice, sucking in a shuddering breath he hadn't realized he'd been deprived of. Brown eyes shot open, hands dropping from where they'd been clamped over his ears; he was disoriented at first by the freckles, red hair, and blue eyes that took up his field of vision. Standing up abruptly, Kristoff pushed past Anna to get to the door, knocking her off-balance with more force than he'd intended.

Damn it, why now? In front of someone else?

Someone who was nice, and actually _tried_ in spite of his uncooperativeness.

Fuck, had he taken his meds that morning?

Couldn't remember, couldn't remember - that could be a good sign, or a bad sign. They made him forget things sometimes. Where he left his phone, what day it was, _did he take his Goddamned meds or not that day_.

"I have to- I have to...go. Sorry, I...," he trailed off, gears working too slowly in his head. "I just think it's time for us to leave. Sven, let's go!" Kristoff was blindly reaching for the door knob, his other hand grabbing for a whimpering and whining Sven's collar.

"Wait, Kristoff, I-" Anna didn't get to finish her sentence.

He didn't wait that time.

"I'm sorry...," she offered the closed door, her mind struggling to catch up with her heart for what _exactly _she was apologizing for.

* * *

><p>Most people thought Anna was graceless on a good day, tactless more than half of the time, and leaped before she looked much too often.<p>

But, even she gave it a day before trying to go over to Kristoff's again.

_Something_ had obviously gone wrong the other night, and Anna had a feeling it wasn't bad take-out that caused it - besides, she's gotten take-out from _The Red Dragon_ countless times, and never had a problem with it. She was curious, to be honest. And, what sort of a friend would she be if she didn't at least check in to see if he was alright, anyway?

They'd only known each other a day, sure, but Anna was an optimist! They'd be friends before the week was over, she just _knew_ it!

Plus, he'd left his tools at her place, so she had more than one reason to go across the hall again. Just in case Kristoff didn't like her primary reason for dropping by unannounced.

Again.

Peeking her head into the apartment, the door cracked open just wide enough for her to do so, Anna called out in a sort of stage whisper, "Kris? Kristoff, are you home?"

The apartment was as dark as it could be in the middle of the day. Windows shut despite the heat, and blinds pulled down to block out the sunlight as much as possible. It felt stuffy, stale air stuck too close together on account of the closed windows.

Biting down nervously on her bottom lip, Anna inched into the apartment. _Oookay..._, she thought to herself, attempting to quietly lug the toolbox behind her. _Maybe he's...out? But, wouldn't Sven be, like, guard dogging? Pretty sure that's a word-_ The redhead's train of thought came to a sudden stop when she tripped over something furry, letting out a muted shriek as the weight of the toolbox - coupled with her natural lack of balance - sent her sprawling to the floor with a metallic crash.

Wincing - not only at the fall, but also the noisy clang of the toolbox connecting with the floor and spilling its contents - Anna pushed herself up off the hard floor with a groan.

Sven, whom Anna had tripped over, padded up to the redhead and licked her cheek.

"How Kristoff thinks you're a guard dog, I don't think I'll ever know," Anna sighed, patting the big mutt's head before turning her attention to the pile of tools in front of her. "I don't suppose you could help me put all these away?" she asked, laughing softly when Sven snorted at her.

"I didn't think so..."

So, as Sven kept a watchful eye on her - aka laying up against her leg, rolling onto his back and whining for belly rubs - Anna went about trying to put all of the tools back in their proper place.

Of course, this was easier said than done. Anna quickly found out she couldn't just _cram_ everything back in, the lid wouldn't close properly if some tools weren't in the right order. If some weren't put in the right spots, there'd be some still left on the floor that she just couldn't get back in the box, and it was rather infuriating. He needed to get a better toolbox...

Or, maybe it wasn't so hard to get the lid to shut if she flipped that doohickey sideways, instead...

_Get it together, Anna, it's not rocket science!_ she berated herself, blowing up at her bangs in frustration.

"You just can't be quiet, even when you try, can you?" came a tired voice, making Anna jump from where she'd been kneeling on the floor with Sven.

"Sweet maple syrup, don't _do_ that, Kristoff!" Anna shouted in a huff, her heart hammering against her ribs. She'd _thought_ he wasn't around, so that had given her quite a start.

She heard the creak of springs and leather, and knew where he was. Anna remembered, from when she came into his apartment the other day, that his couch was leather; old and worn, and lumpier in more places than a warty toad.

"I'm sorry, what? Is that your idea of a swear, Freckles?" Kristoff asked, chuckling in a dry, humorless manner.

"My parents taught me _manners_," Anna retorted, standing up and brushing herself off. Pausing for a moment in the semi-darkness, she asked with slight hesitance, "...Have you...been there the whole time?"

"What do you think?" was Kristoff's sarcastic reply, his voice muffled.

Anna pouted, stepping over to the windows and pulling back the blinds; sunlight flooding into the room. "There, that's better! Now I can see you, Mr. I'm-actually-in-the-room-but-I'm-not-going-to-say," Anna smiled, trying not to let Kristoff's tone effect her too much.

The blond man groaned from his place on the couch, face buried in an equally as lumpy pillow.

Anna noticed that he was wearing the same clothes as a day ago, but knew better than to comment on the navy blue hoodie and baggy jeans that looked like they needed a good wash. She'd had plenty of days like that herself, and it was never nice to have someone point it out like you didn't know yourself.

"Oh, it's not so bad, Kris! Look, it's a really nice day out!" Anna beamed, twirling around to face the couch.

Kristoff lifted his head, giving the redhead a flat look. He rolled over so that he was facing the back of the couch, arms folded over his chest. "...What're you doing here, Anna?" he murmured.

Anna pursed her lips together, hands on her hips. "Well, first off, you left your stuff at my apartment. So, I brought them back over for you." Sliding onto the nearest arm of the couch, Anna leaned over so that she could at least see his face. "And, after what happened the other night, I figured...you needed a friend, too."

Kristoff tensed, shoulders hunching. "Since when are we friends?"

"Since the other night, weren't you paying attention?" Anna replied, flashing a wide but unsure smile.

Rejection was still a possibility. He could kick her out of his apartment, and not want to deal with her at all after that.

Kristoff sighed, listlessly carding thick fingers through his messy hair as he righted himself on the couch. "You're not gonna give this up without a fight, are you?"

"Nope!" Anna grinned, "I'm gonna be your friend, whether you like it or not!"

Kristoff smirked at that, shaking his head a bit. "Doesn't that sort of counteract the whole 'friendship' thing?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Anna had only known him a day or so, true, but that little note of amusement was so much better to hear than the sheer..._exhaustion_ in his voice before.

"I don't think so. Some people just need that friend who keeps at it, even if they feel like they don't want to. Good things can come from persistence!" she replied, jumping up from where she was sitting on the couch arm. "Now, come on! It's a lovely day, and we're going to do something; you, me, and Sven!" Anna announced, pointing to the other two in turn.

"Anna, no, I'm tired and I just want to sleep," Kristoff protested, broad shoulders slumping visibly.

"Oh, no, Mister! We're taking Sven to the park, and making the most out of the rest of the day," the redhead stated decisively, nodding her head with finality.

Sven recognized the word "park", instantly rolling to his paws and dancing around excitedly; his tail windmilling sporadically.

Kristoff rolled his head, like he had a crick in his neck, scratching at his cheek. "Now you've done it...," he grumbled, frowning at the small woman who looked _very_ much pleased with herself. Sven wouldn't let it go until he got to go to the park, the very word riling the dog up so that he was bouncing off the walls with excitement and anticipation.

"Yup, I knew you wouldn't be able to say no to Sven," Anna smiled rather smugly, trying to keep up an innocent expression without much luck. Anna wore her feelings plain on her face, making it fairly easy to tell what she was thinking or feeling - which was one of the reasons why she was such a bad liar, her expressions often gave her away. "So! Chop-chop! Let's go! This doggie wants to go outside and get in some playtime!"

Kristoff visibly gave in, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. "Alright, alright..." Trudging over to the door, where Sven's leash hung from a hook.

"Whoa, hold up there, Kris. Shower first, fresh clothes, _then_ we go to the park," Anna said quickly, holding out a hand for the leash.

Anna was pretty sure Kristoff gave her the most sour look anyone had ever given her ever.


	3. A World of Fragile Things

"Kris, take off that sweatshirt, you're going to give yourself heat stroke or something!" Anna huffed in exasperation, tucking some hair behind her ear after bending over to pick up Sven's rubber carrot toy.

The big Caucasian Shepherd mix dog was having a blast. Chasing his toy, running around, sniffing every possible thing within reach of his nose - he was so happy to be out and about, like he hadn't been to the park in a while.

Quite the opposite of his stubbornly grumpy owner, who was scowling at the grass between his boots whenever Anna looked at him.

"I haven't been in the heat long enough to pass out, so would you _stop_ asking me to take it off?" Kristoff responded, Anna's near constant picking grating on his nerves.

If she wanted to wear short, summer-y clothes, she could do that. But, she shouldn't expect Kristoff to do the same thing. He liked his clothes, they were comfortable to him - despite the heat.

Just for further measure, Kristoff burrowed his hands into the roomy pouch of his red hoodie.

Anna rolled her eyes at the other's deliberate attempt to annoy her, throwing Sven's carrot a good distance, and watching the lovable mutt chase after it with excited barking.

So stubborn.

They walked in silence for a while, tension building up like static friction between them.

"So..."

"I'm not talking about that right now, Anna."

_Too soon, okay, make a mental note of that..._, Anna thought to herself, wincing at the man's clipped tone. _But, he did say 'not right now'...Maybe he'll want to talk about it eventually._

He was sort of like a snapping turtle; hiding behind tough, outer layers, and lashing out whenever she got too close for comfort.

She didn't take it personally. He was just..._unsure_. About her, about this, about letting someone in.

Anna knew all about _that_. The dangers that came with letting someone into your shell, letting them get close to your heart. They either make it shine bright, or shatter it into the oblivion of a black hole.

But, she wasn't asking for the walls to be torn down in only a few days - not even for there to be a minuscule crack made in the stonework. She just wanted a chance. A chance for him to open the door in the wall, and let her in himself.

"Okay, not that, something else. How about...Oh! How long have you had Sven?" Anna asked instead, laughing a bit when the dog came trotting back over to them, a triumphant look on his face as he plopped his toy on the ground.

Kristoff watched the two interact for a while, seeing how happy Sven was to be outside and playing with someone who could match his near-boundless energy. He felt guilty that he hadn't been giving Sven everything that he needed - the outside time, the playing - but it was...difficult for him to build up the motivation to leave the apartment most days. "Almost two years now,' he replied, shifting in place, his boots scraping against the patch of dirt he was standing in.

The recent heat wave had done quite a number on the park, the city being forced to lower its water usage to conserve. The grass wasn't lush anymore, wilting and dying in large patches across the once pristine-looking park.

"...He was a gift," Kristoff added, smiling a little as the big dog leaned up against his legs. Crouching down, and withdrawing his hands from the pouch of his hoodie, Kristoff scratched under Sven's chin.

Anna smiled, happy to see Kristoff relaxing a bit. "Who was he a gift from?" she asked, plopping down into the dry grass next to the blond.

"My Ma...When I got back from...," he trailed off, clearing his throat as he messed his fingers into Sven's dense coat. "From a long trip out of the country," he finished in a short, low tone.

Another wall, lined with barbed wire.

"My mother had allergies, so we could never have pets," Anna piped up again, sensing the down-swing in the conversation and moving to pick it back up; deviating the subject back to something Kristoff seemed comfortable talking about. "We _almost_ had a cat, but that didn't work out. I'd like to think it was because of my mother's allergies, and _not_ on account of the fact that I found Sir Grubbins digging around in the garbage," she continued in a breezy tone, glancing at Kristoff for his reaction.

A smile - which was small, but Anna could see it clear as day - followed by a brief chuckle. "How did you say all of that with a straight face?" he wondered out loud, his smile widening when Sven nudged at his cheek with a wet nose. "I'm guessing this happened when you were younger?"

"Not as young as you might hope I'd be."

* * *

><p>Something Kristoff quickly learned about Anna was that she <em>loved<em> telling stories about her and her older sister. The camping trips, the movie and family game nights, every holiday - honestly, Kristoff was impressed she hadn't run out of stories already. The two must be very close, but sisters usually were, weren't they?

"And, so, yeah...I just wanted to say that I had a lot of fun with you and Sven today," Anna said, grinning up at Kristoff as they walked around the perimeter of the park.

"Wait, what?" Kristoff realized that he hadn't been listening to the tail-end of what Anna had just said.

Sven snorted at him disapprovingly.

"Yeah, I had a feeling you weren't really listening there, Kris; you looked like you were off in your own little world. You were in Kris World," Anna snorted out a giggle, tilting her head back to get a better look at the peach-colored sky.

It was a beautiful sunset, full of pinks and oranges; the sun falling between park trees and buildings, signaling the shift from afternoon to evening. The heat of the day was just starting to lessen enough to be noticeable, the light breeze that was ruffling their hair actually feeling like a relief now.

"Ah, sorry 'bout that...," Kristoff apologized, ducking his head somewhat sheepishly. "What were you saying?" he asked, trying to make up for his lapse.

"I said, I had a really great time with you and Sven," Anna repeated, freckled cheeks rosy as she smiled good-naturedly.

"Really? You had fun holding a conversation mostly all by yourself?" Kristoff remarked, lightly tugging on Sven's leash when the dog lingered in his sniffing for a bit too long.

"I don't mind talking enough for the both of us, I know you still listen - _most_ of the time," Anna snickered playfully, biting her bottom lip as she gave him a cheeky look.

Kristoff made a face at that, but he turned his head to hide a smirk. "Whatever you say, Freckles. If you say you had a good time being stuck with the two of us, then you had a good time."

He said it that way, because he still wasn't sure. Was she _genuine_, or _just being nice_?

"I really did, Kristoff," she assured him, giving him a quick, friendly pat on the arm. "But, I think it's time to head home, don't you? My stomach's telling me it's time for dinner!" Anna giggled, bumping into the larger man playfully.

"Yeah, I guess it is-"

"Hey, Anna!" a bright, high-pitched voice called from further up the sidewalk, a short figure dashing over to them with a wide grin. "Oh, and it's Sven and Kristoff, too! Look at that, the gang's all here!"

Kristoff looked rather confused - since when were they all friends together? - but Anna was squealing happily at the appearance of her friend. "Oh, my gosh, Olaf! Hi, how've you been?" she gushed, clasping the shorter man's hands and dancing around with him.

Which wasn't the best idea, as it turned out, since Olaf was holding a leash as well. As the two danced around each other, the leash tangled around their legs, nearly tripping them up.

"Oh, oops, sorry there, Anna! Let me just scooch over here, and then..."

"No, I don't think that's going to work. Maybe we should just go in reverse?"

"Oooh, yeah! That's a good idea!"

Kristoff pressed the pad of his thumb and the side of his index finger against the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as the two struggled to untangle themselves from each other and the leash. "Here, just..." Kneeling down, he grabbed the leash from Olaf's hand and - telling them both, _repeatedly_, not to move around - unwound the twisted leash from around their legs.

"Oh, thanks! I probably wouldn't have thought to do it that way," Olaf laughed unabashedly, taking the leash back from Kristoff. "Marshmallow, sorry if we tugged you around during that!" the brunet apologized, turning to the dog that was attached to the leash.

"Holy shit," Kristoff muttered under his breath, grunting when Anna elbowed him in the side.

"Language, Kris."

"Are you kidding me? Who names a dog like _that_," he blurted out, gesturing to the massive, white beast standing behind Olaf, "_Marshmallow_?! That thing's bigger than Sven!"

All three turned their attention to the dog, Anna and Olaf tilting their heads to the side as they seemed to consider what Kristoff said.

"I think it fits," Olaf announced, nodding his head.

Anna and Kristoff shared a look, the redhead shrugging to the blond.

"Well, it's a nice name, Olaf. Are you walking him for someone?" Anna inquired, reaching out to pet the dog, but pulling her hand back when it growled at her. Marshmallow was _not_ as friendly as Sven.

"Yeah, I'm walking him for someone named Elsa. She's really busy, so she let's me walk him before she gets home from work!" Olaf answered obligingly, lightly rebuking Marshmallow for his growl. "That's not very nice, Marshmallow! Sorry, he gets a little nervous around new people," he explained, patting the dog in the hope of calming him down.

But, Anna wasn't listening to that, her heart nearly stopping when she heard the name _Elsa_. "E-Elsa...?" she breathed out, blue eyes going big - almost a deer in the headlights sort of look, but more pain-filled than just that.

Kristoff heard the change in her voice, brown eyes shifting to look at Anna's face.

The happy-go-lucky Anna was replaced with something that looked painfully fragile, and Kristoff immediately knew something wasn't right here.

"Yeah, Elsa! Hey, did you know that you two have the same last name? Is she your cousin, or something?" Olaf continued on, oblivious until he saw the look on his friend's face. "Anna...? Anna, are you okay?"

Anna shook her head, braids whipping around her face at the jerky movement. "No, I - Um, I just need to go, alright?" Her voice was shaky, close to breaking, as she turned around and practically ran off.

* * *

><p>When Kristoff got back to the apartment building, it was completely silent on his floor. He couldn't hear any sort of noise from Anna's apartment - which was unusual, since it was normally a hive of noise on most days; music, or singing, or just the sounds of her moving around and causing a racket were prevalent. But, considering how she high-tailed it back here from the park, Kristoff figured it made sense. She seemed really upset.<p>

Trudging over to his door, he almost went in, but he stopped short of turning the doorknob. Glancing over his shoulder at Anna's door, Kristoff sighed, and turned to the other side of the hall. Walking up to the door, Kristoff raised his hand to knock, his fist stuttering to a stop when he heard a sob come from _his _apartment.

Sven looked up at him, huffing a breath out through his nose and tugging against his leash.

Opening the door to his apartment, Kristoff heard another sob abruptly cut off into slightly muffled sniffling. "Anna?" he called out softly, unhooking Sven from the leash, and letting the dog find his way over to the young woman. She was curled up on a corner of his couch, wiping at her face.

"Sorry, sorry. I, um...I know I r-ran off like that, cause I thought I wanted to be alone, but...But I _hate_ being alone, Kris. I hate it," she blubbered out, clearly trying to get control of her voice but not having much luck as it continued to waver on her. "So I came over here...I know I keep barging into your place, but-"

"Hey, hey...Don't worry about it. You can come over here whenever you want," Kristoff interrupted gently, bringing his hands up in a calming gesture as he approached the couch. He wasn't great in situations like this, but Anna was nice to him, so he was trying. "The door's always open, you know, the lock is broken."

That elicited a croaking laugh from Anna, who was looking very small, curled up and trying to hide in the corner of the worn couch. It was amazing how much her personality and attitude made her seem so much bigger than she was.

"Can I...?" Kristoff mumbled questioningly, pointing to the spot next to her.

Anna sniffed wetly, nodding her head and offering him a weak smile.

Kristoff stepped over where Sven was hunkered down next to the couch, his muzzle resting just between where she had pulled her sock-clad feet up, and sat down beside the strawberry blond. The leather creaked as he shifted, his weight making him sink down into the seat cushions more than Anna did. He was moving slow, trying to think out his actions before he did anything, since he was unused to being put into the position of comforter.

But, Anna knew what she needed, and almost as soon as he sat down, she crawled closer to him and curled up into his side. Looping her arms around one of his, she rested her head against his shoulder and let out a shaky sigh. "...You smell like sweat, Kris," she mentioned, though she didn't seem like she was complaining, since she didn't move.

"Guess I should have taken off my sweatshirt at some point, huh?"

"No, I don't mind."


	4. Never Was & Never Will Be

The rest of the evening was spent at Kristoff's place, the both of them trying to settle on what to order in — there wasn't much to eat at Kristoff's, and Anna didn't feel up to making an attempt at what was likely to be a failed dinner — while watching what was possibly a Korean soap opera on Kristoff's old TV. She'd asked why he didn't just get a new TV, he could watch actual shows in English that way, to which he'd responded with a monotone, "First off, got this one for free. Second, it still works. Third, I don't watch much TV. And last, it doesn't lag when I play certain games."

Which she supposed all made sense — except for the "Doesn't watch much TV" thing. Anna didn't get how someone living in this day and age _didn't_ veg out on some good old television every now and then.

But, that was okay; perfectly fine. Talking about anything goofy was highly desirable at the moment for Anna, kept her mind from going back to…_certain things_ that she'd been reminded of earlier.

"So, what's it gonna be? Are we havin' Chinese food again, or did you want pizza, Freckles?" Kristoff asked, fiddling with his phone as he slouched into the softness of the leather couch.

"Why do you do that? Also, I don't remember us taking Greek food off the table," Anna commented slyly, giving Kristoff a sidelong glance.

"You're gonna have to be more specific, Freckles," Kristoff smirked the tiniest bit, deliberately keeping his gaze on the TV as Anna scrunched her nose at him. "And, yeah, we did. Well, I did. Right after you rejected my idea of Mexican food."

"There, that! What you did right there! Why do you call me 'Freckles' all the time?"

A beat, freckled arms crossing as Anna shifted on the couch, poking a socked toe into Kristoff's side. "I _told_ you, Mexican food makes me gassy!"

Sven was dozing on the pile of blankets that made up his bed, his ears twitching on and off at the sound of their voices.

"Do you wanna know why I call you Freckles, or do you want Greek food?" Kristoff challenged, brown eyes drifting away from the television screen to glance at the redhead.

Tough choice.

Anna made a big deal of scoffing, waving her hand at him and attempting to look snooty.

Snooty didn't really suit her, she had too kind a face.

"I choose…"

"Greek food," Kristoff stated, just as Anna blurted out to the contrary, "Freckles!"

Blinking, Kristoff turned his full attention on the young woman. "Really? You're choosing Freckles?" he asked in a mixture of confusion and incredulity.

"Yup."

"…You surprise me, Freckles."

"Oh, how so?"

"Well…" A vague hand gesture, which seemed to fail him as much as his words.

Anna seemed to understand the fumbling, though, which was impressive in and of itself.

"You really thought I'd pass up a chance to get a look into how that mind of yours works? Just for my pick of dinner for the night?" Anna hummed in fake disappointment, "It's like you don't know me at all, Kris."

He didn't.

She was just the girl that had broken into his apartment three times now. The girl that had payed him in Chinese take-out to fix her shower. The girl with red hair, copious amounts of freckles, and sapphire eyes that made one think of summer skies.

He _didn't_ know her at all.

Yet.

She seemed rather hellbent on them becoming friends, and to be friends, people generally had to learn about one another.

"So, spill. Why 'Freckles'?" Anna asked, bringing Kristoff back out of his thoughts.

Kristoff stretched, a slight hitch in the movement when he raised his arms up over his head. His shoulder was stiff. "You have a lot of freckles," he answered bluntly, lumbering to his feet and trudging to the little nook of a kitchen he had.

Greek food it was. He was pretty sure he had a number for a Greek place…_somewhere_ in the kitchen.

Anna pouted, shifting to lean over the back of the couch. "That can't be the _only_ reason," she whined, fishing for something else.

Dialing the number he found buried under a few other take-out menus, Kristoff made his way back to the couch and tossed the Greek food menu at Anna. "Here, figure out what you want," he asserted, pressing the phone to his ear as he waited for the line to be picked up.

"You're avoiding my question," Anna huffed lightly, looking over the menu. "Hey, I thought you said Greek food was off the table!"

"I figured you deserved some compensation for going with the 'Freckles' thing — Yeah, hey, I'd like to place an order," Kristoff abruptly switched from speaking to Anna to talking into the phone transmitter, tapping the top of Anna's head to get her attention, and then pointing at the flimsy menu he'd tossed at her.

"Oh, right! Okay, how about…Ooh, ooh! Some of this," Anna exclaimed, pointing to an item on the menu, "And how about this, and that, and…Oh! I've never had any of this, let's try that, too!"

Kristoff repeated what Anna was pointing out to him, raising an eyebrow at all the food she wanted.

"Anything else?" he asked, almost laughing when she seemed to seriously consider ordering more.

"No, I think this'll be good," Anna finally replied, placing the paper menu on the low table in front of the couch with a nod.

After finishing up with the order, Kristoff hung up. "Thirty minutes 'til it gets here," he told the redhead, stuffing his phone back into his pants pocket as he reclaimed his spot on the couch.

They settled into silence after that, the only sounds in the apartment being Sven's snores and Anna speeding through channels on the TV for something to occupy their waiting time. The silence wasn't a good one. It was dull and somber. Kristoff could practically feel the light mood they'd managed to strike up after he'd found Anna crying in his apartment slip back into that uneasy, uncomfortable place once again. Whatever had upset Anna earlier was leaking back in with the absence of noise, and silly little conversations that were like staircases to nowhere; the darkening sky only helping to aid in the illusion that the apartment had gotten darker.

Anna sighed, leaving the channel on some local news station when she found nothing else of interest.

"I'm kind of surprised you haven't asked, about what happened at the park and all," she stated in a less-than-chipper tone, "I asked you…"

"…Yeah, you did, but when I said I didn't want to talk…You didn't push me to," Kristoff explained in a resigned tone, catching Anna curling back into her little corner again. "I figured…If you wanted to talk about it, you'd let me know. I wasn't going to force it, especially if I was wrong, and you didn't want to share what got you so upset."

Another bout of silence, a hitching breath from the other side of the couch.

Hesitantly reaching out to pat her knee, Kristoff murmured, "You'll feel better when you get some good food into you. That's something my Ma used to say, at least. Full bellies meant a happy family, in her book."

"She sounds like a smart woman."

* * *

><p><em>"And now, it's time for your weather update!"<em>

Kristoff had only barely been paying the news any attention, letting Sven have his place on the couch as he scoured the fridge for something they could drink. So far, all he was finding was flat beer and milk that had been pushed to the back of the refrigerator quite a long time ago.

Anna had remained on the couch, idly winding her thin fingers through Sven's fur as her eyes stared at the television with mild interest. She hadn't seemed to really care much for what was being reported on, until the weather segment had started.

_"It looks like we'll finally be seeing a break in this heatwave, and our mountains will be getting some snow at higher elevations! Could be a good time to bundle the kids up, and go on a snow day!"_

"We used to do that," Anna said abruptly, blue eyes fixed on the terribly cheesy snow animation on the weather forecast. "When there was snow in the mountains, Elsa and I would practically beg our parents to take us up to the cabin."

Kristoff pulled his head out of the fridge, just catching what she said. Softly closing the door, Kristoff padded back over to the leather couch; glancing to the weather report for a moment before looking down at Anna. "…Lots of people from the city did that, as I remember," he acknowledged, leaning his forearms against the back of the couch.

"As much as I had fun in the snow and everything, Elsa…Elsa really _loved_ it. We would build snowmen, make snow angels. She even tried to teach me how to ice skate one year, when I was five…," Anna recalled, her brow furrowed, like the memory was sort of fuzzy and hard to access. "But, after we went up to the cabin for the weekend, when it had been snowing…Something happened, and…and we never went back."

"Something happened, what?" Kristoff asked slowly, carefully. He was sticking by his previous statement; he wasn't going to push for an answer, but Anna had started talking, so he was going to listen to her.

Anna made a breathy noise through her nose, craning her neck back to look at him. "I don't know. I can't really remember."

Kristoff frowned at that. "You…don't remember?"

"Not really, no. I was five, after all, so it was quite a while ago," Anna replied, shaking her head. "I remember some things, like building a really misshapen snowman with my sister, and drinking hot chocolate with big marshmallows in it by the fireplace. I mean, I know that can't be _all_ we did — we were up there for a few days — but…there's just nothing else after that."

That was…odd. It sounded like a case of amnesia, or something, but that clearly couldn't be it; she still remembered events from before, there just seemed to be one missing gap.

"And…And, after whatever happened up in the mountains that one time, Elsa and I…Well, we weren't really Elsa and I anymore. She sort of…distanced herself. Like, more than just sort of, more like a lot. It was like I didn't have a big sister anymore," Anna sighed, lips pressing together in a thin line.

"Ah…That's…'M sorry," Kristoff mumbled, offering the condolences awkwardly. It sounded stiff to his ears; somewhere along the lines of too little, too late, and he was highly aware of that. But, at the moment, it was the best he could offer her.

Anna shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips when Sven flopped his head into her lap. "I learned to cope," she murmured, leaning over to scrunch her nose up in Sven's face, cooing and making other baby talk-ish noises at the big mutt.

Sven's tail pounded against the couch, the dog twisting his neck so that he could sloppily lick the young woman's face.

Kristoff was about to open his mouth again when a knock on the door interrupted him, drawing everyone's attention. Sven perked up at the abrupt noise, wet nose twitching, as he seemed to go back and forth on if it was worth barking at. Both Anna and Kristoff had turned their heads in the direction of the noise, Kristoff eventually pushing himself off of where he'd been leaning on the couch to answer the door.

A young man — late teens to early twenties, if Kristoff had to guess — with curly, red hair and blue eyes stood awkwardly in the hall; plastic bags and Styrofoam containers clutched in his hands.

Right, dinner.

"Oh, great, this is the right place!" the delivery guy sighed in relief, gratefully handing over the warm bags of food. "Boy, I've gotta say, that's a lot of food for just one person!"

"What? No!" Kristoff blurted out, his eye twitching in irritation. "This isn't _all_ for me," he ground out, ignoring Anna's barely stifled giggles.

This kid had a chin and physique that looked like it had been sculpted by the Greek Gods themselves, but he didn't seem anywhere near as confident or intimidating. "O-Oh, gee, I'm so sorry! I-I shouldn't have just assumed—" the poor kid stammered out, only getting in so many apologies before Kristoff chucked whatever money he owed at him and then slammed the door in his face.

Anna brought a hand up to her mouth, partially in an attempt to hide her snorting laughter and rein in her uncontrollable smile. She really didn't mean to, her mind had even been on something more serious beforehand, but it was just so…_ridiculous_.

"Don't be too hard on the poor delivery guy next time," she managed to get out in a relatively maintained voice, her cheeks going a bit red at the willpower it took to keep a straight face.

Next time? Was this going to be a regular thing now?

"No promises."

* * *

><p>"Do you trust your own judgment?" Kristoff asked, rolling the near empty beer can he'd gotten out for himself between his hands.<p>

Anna had stuck to tap water, not wanting to chance the rather dicey carton of milk or choke down flat beer.

Looking up from scrapping the last wedge of pita bread around in the dipping cup of tzatziki sauce, Anna seemed to think for a moment. "For the most part, yeah, I would say so," she replied, popping the piece of bread into her mouth. "Why do you ask, Kris?"

"Well…It's just, you shared something personal with me, even though I've given you nothing in that sense," he pointed out, brown eyes darting up to look at her face before returning to staring at the aluminum can in his hands.

Anna chewed for a while, taking her time before answering. "Not everyone opens up at the same time, or for the same things…You were just sort of there, you know? You didn't press me to talk about it, like some people have, and you were just _there_; a solid presence that was willing to listen."

"I mean, it's not like I bared my soul or anything, but that was enough for me right now," she said in a sure tone, an almost-smile on her face as she regarded him. "Stuff like this…isn't an immediate exchange sort of a thing. Like, I'll say something when I'm ready to, and you'll do the same when you feel like it. Easy-peasy."

Sven was poised in a full-out begging position, very intently drooling at a bit of leftover lamb from Anna's gyros sandwich. He hadn't yet gotten to the stage of pathetic whining and whimpering, but his puppy dog eyes were in full force.

Kristoff mulled that over for a while, finishing off the last dregs of his beer. "I don't call you Freckles just because you have freckles — although, I'm not gonna lie, the fact that you have a _shit-ton_ of freckles does factor in."

"Oh, yeah? What else is there?" Anna perked up, curiosity clear in the tilt of her head and the straightness of her back.

Kristoff stalled for a moment, keeping his eyes low as he scratched at his neck, his cheek, back to his neck. Nervous habits that he was barely even aware of. "Well, you've got a lot of freckles, yeah? And some people would say that each was only one out of the other million that you've got, but…That's not right. Uh, each one's different. Different size, different shape, different place — unique, is what I'm trying to say here," he fumbled out, alternating between shifting on the couch and rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke.

Anna couldn't help but grin at him, the expression genuine, if not slightly teasing. "So, are you trying to say that…I'm _unique_ and _different_? In a good way?" she asked, practically preening. No one had ever told her she was special before, different in a way that made her stand out for all the right reasons.

"You put up with me, of course it's in a good way."

"You surprise me, Kris."

"…Oh, yeah, how so?"

She was using his own words on him.

"If you don't know, then I'm not gonna tell you. It'll be the secret I share with you — you know, the you that's buried deep down under all that."

"All that what?"

"…I'm not telling you that, either."


	5. Don't Say I'm Out of Touch

Kristoff was _not_ having a goodnight.

Most nights, his meds actually seemed to do what they were supposed to; he would sleep like a hibernating bear, and he wouldn't be bothered by the strange dreams that lead to night terrors, which subsequently led to waking up halfway to morning.

Tonight didn't seem to be panning out as one of those nights.

His mind just _wouldn't leave him alone_.

He had tried sleeping out on the couch — TV on, TV off. Tried to actually sleep in his bed — under the covers, on top of the covers; pillow at the head of the bed, pillow at the foot of the bed. He could only seem to manage an hour or so of consistent sleep before jolting awake.

Sitting up in bed, chest heaving and slightly damp with sweat, Kristoff dropped his head into his hands. He was exhausted, but he couldn't get to sleep. He could feel Sven's presence on the bed with him — which usually helped, but was having no such effect this time around — the creak of old springs preceding the big dog as he got up on wobbly legs to huff down closer to his once-again-awake human. Kristoff sighed, removing his hands from his face so that he could feel along the wall for the light switch.

He'd learned quite awhile ago that having a lamp within arms reach during one of his fits meant waking up to a broken lamp. But, he needed light after pulling himself out of a nightmare, so wherever he slept had to be near a light switch, or other light source, that was easy to navigate in the dark.

Memories he'd rather forget lurked in the dark, slinking from shadow to thought like a sickness.

And he was sick, wasn't he?

That's what they'd told him, at least. And that's what Kristoff had told his family.

_"Not my Kris, not my baby boy. You're…You're **not** sick! Please, baby, don't leave your family behind on account of something that's not true…"_

Slinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Kristoff wearily pushed himself to his feet. "Hey, Buddy…Wanna go for a walk?"

Sven whined, because he was warm and comfortable in bed, but dutifully clambered off the bed and padded after Kristoff.

Five in the morning was a perfect time for a walk.

* * *

><p>Anna's mornings started at six.<p>

Well, she _tried_ to start them at six — getting up early, and not sleeping in, had been her New Year's resolution four years running. She'd set her alarm and everything, but would more often than not turn it off and roll over for several hours more sleep. So, to be completely honest, Anna's mornings started around nine or ten.

Yawning, Anna dug her spoon into the bowl of cereal she had gotten for herself, shoveling Cocoa Puffs into her mouth like she was on groggy auto-pilot. She didn't have to be at work until two-thirty, so she had some time to kill beforehand.

Tipping back the bowl, so that she could slurp at the chocolate-y milk left behind, Anna wondered if Kristoff was busy. She knew Olaf was off pet-sitting for some guy, while he and his girlfriend took a little vacation at the beach, leaving Max — the man's Old English Sheepdog — in Olaf's care while they were gone.

So, after taming her rather wild bed-head back into the braids she loved, Anna switched out her ducky motif pajamas for skinny jeans and a pale green top. Checking her phone one last time, and making sure she had everything, Anna headed out the door and across the hall.

"Kristoff! Kris, are you home?" Anna called, sticking her head through the door, smiling when she heard the faint sounds of the TV on. Pushing the door open so that she could fully enter the apartment, Anna stifled a giggle.

It was obvious that Kristoff had been rather involved in playing a video game — _had been_ being the operative phrase, since he was _currently_ asleep.

He was sitting more or less upright on the floor, his back propped against the base of the couch, and his head lolling back on one of the leather seat cushions. The controller he had been using had fallen from slack hands, and then slipped off his lap to land cock-eyed on the floor. The television screen had darkened by several shades, still displaying the roster of characters to choose from in the game; the music, which Anna had heard from the doorway, was faint since the game had gone into sleep mode after so long without any movement.

Kristoff was completely and utterly _out_; wheat blond hair sleep-tousled, open-mouthed snoring like a grizzly bear with a head cold.

Sven had made himself quite comfortable on the couch, his back paws resting near Kristoff's head. Fluffy brown ears perked up when Anna opened the door, Sven lifting his head up to pant happily at the redhead in greeting.

"Hey, boy, how are you?" Anna cooed in a soft voice, wary of waking Kristoff up, as she scratched the dog between the ears. "Looks like you guys had a game party — and without me, too!" she said in a tone of mock hurt.

Sven made a low, rumbling whine at that; pawing at Anna's arm and snuggling his furry face into the couch.

"Aw, I know, you're a cutie. You would have invited me if you could," Anna laughed, quickly covering her mouth to stifle the noise.

Kristoff hadn't even moved at the sound, still snoring away from his spot on the floor.

Boy, he was a heavy sleeper. But, she had to admit - though she probably wouldn't ever tell him, unless she wanted to get him all squirrel-y and huffy - he looked kinda sweet when he was completely conked out. He wasn't all gruff or scowl-y, and he - funnily enough - probably made more noise while he was asleep than when he was awake. Anna thought he looked...tired. Like, not just the "he's been sleeping, and you sleep when you're tired" sort of tired, he looked kind of exhausted. And, depending on when he'd started this little solo game fest, Anna could guess that he'd been up into the wee hours of the morning. It certainly explained the spontaneous sleeping on the floor, but she wondered why he was so attached to these games. In her opinion, Kristoff didn't really seem like the type of person who would be an avid gamer; he was rather stiff and serious, and seemed to veer on the side of logic instead of fantasy. Putting so much time into these just didn't seem like something he would do on his own, but, Anna will admit, she'd only known him for a couple of weeks now. There was probably quite a lot she still didn't know about him.

"Hmm...I wonder what other games he's got in here," Anna mused, figuring she wasn't going to wake him up, but she could still entertain herself until he came around. Rummaging through the pile of game cases by the TV, Anna shifted aside quite a few fighting games and racers before finding something that caught her attention. "Oooh, Mama and Papa _never_ would have let me play a game like this! Well, to be fair, they didn't like me playing video games at all, but I'm a responsible...ish adult, and I want to at least try one of these out!" Popping open the case, Anna swapped out the game Kristoff had been playing for _Call of Duty_.

"Alright, can't be too hard to figure out, right? Just point and shoot," Anna said to herself, grabbing a controller and making herself comfortable on the couch as the game started.

* * *

><p>Kristoff hadn't realized he'd fallen into a fairly pleasant, dreamless sleep until he was roughly dragged out of it by the sounds of gunshots and mortar rounds going off. Not to mention the rapid-fire, Ned Flanders-esque swearing that was coming from his couch - which had been occupied by his dog, last he checked, but was now transformed into some sort of a pillow fort by a certain redheaded neighbor of his.<p>

To be perfectly honest, he didn't care that Anna had taken over his couch or started using his game system without permission. What was bothering him were the _noises_. He didn't mind the games, but he always played them with the sound _off_. Guns didn't bother him, for the most part. You could wave an M9 in his face, put the barrel of an M4 to his head, and while he wouldn't necessarily care for the situation - though a part of him craved that sort of danger in a way he both hated and loved - he would be more likely to make a sarcastic comment than to buckle.

Turns out that army bullshit did _something_ for him.

But the noise, the sound of gunfire...It wasn't something that had gotten to him on his first tour of duty, or even most of the second...But after that ambush, twelve months into his second tour - just six more months, and they all would've _gone home__ alive_ - it was all just too much after that. Even just a loud noise could set him off in a bad way, it didn't necessarily have to sound like a gunshot.

"Turn it off..."

He hadn't realized his voice was so quiet when he said it, Anna hadn't heard him.

"Turn that off_ now_," Kristoff hissed out, glaring at the flare of red hair he could see from the couch fort. "_Anna_."

That got her attention, a surprised, freckled face popping out between propped up cushions. "Oh, hey, Kristoff-"

"Are you fucking _deaf_? Turn that off!"

In hindsight, Kristoff knew he would regret yelling like that. Anna didn't know, how could she know? But, that wasn't something he was thinking about at the moment; he was more focused on getting rid of those sounds, making it stop. Something else that he would regret later was yanking the power cable out of the game system - effectively killing the sounds of battle, but eliciting a disappointed whine from Anna - and turning his anger onto her as soon as the screen went dead.

"How many times do I have to say something before you actually hear me?!" he yelled, which sent Sven whimpering behind the couch.

"I-It was just a game...," Anna stammered out, bewildered and caught off guard by Kristoff's reaction. It had only been a couple of weeks, but not once had Kristoff ever blown up like this. Sure, he'd get sarcastic and irritated at times, but he'd never raised his voice or gotten _angry_ before. "I'm sorry I didn't ask, but-"

"Out!"

Anna flinched, blue eyes wide with - not quite fear, but she didn't understand - confusion, as she remained rooted to her spot on the couch. Whether it was courage or foolhardiness, Anna was staying where she was, in the face of her friend's flaring temper. "No," she retorted stubbornly, dropping the controller into her lap and folding her arms, "Not unless you tell me _why_ you're flipping out over me playing a stupid game."

"That's - That's not it..."

_Not all of it._

Anna huffed at that, blowing air up at her bangs in frustration. "Then _what_ is your problem, Kris?"

Anna probably shouldn't have worded it that way, but she didn't know exactly what was going on, and she was starting to feel a little defensive.

Kristoff's face phased through several shades of red before settling on a blotchy sort of livid. "I. Don't. Have. A. _Problem_," he ground out, teeth bared and lips curled back like an enraged animal. Leveling a dark look at Anna, his fists white-knuckled and shaking at his sides, Kristoff stormed away from the couch before he did something he'd really regret.

Anna - always pushing, _always_ - went after him. "Just _talk_ to me; I'm your friend, I can help! We don't even have to talk about this, just-"

"Anna, I'm not going to tell you again. Get _out_."

Sven was following them at a distance, whining and crying at the raised voices and angry tones.

_"Why are you yelling at her? She wants to help, don't fight..."_

"Sven, knock it off!" Kristoff snapped, almost turning around to reprimand the upset dog, but Anna was right on his heels and he just wanted to be _alone_.

"Kristoff! Don't yell at him for that, he's only upset because you're shouting."

"Maybe I wouldn't be yelling if you'd just _leave_ already!"

"Not when you're upset about something I did - you didn't leave me alone when I was upset," Anna argued, digging her heels in on the matter.

Kristoff whirled around to face her, a hand on the doorknob of his bedroom door. "Yeah, well, it may have escaped your notice, Freckles, but I'm not anything like you," he bit out. "I'm not nice, I'm not cheerful, I don't like people, and I don't fucking share my feelings like this is some sort of therapy session! You _wanted_ me around when you were crying, I don't want you around, Anna!"

Anna - for once - was speechless, giving Kristoff an opportunity to retreat into his room without any opposition. Blinking at the door that was suddenly in her face, Anna turned around toward Sven, her fine eyebrows scrunching upward at the big dog's sad expression.

"Aw, Sven...It'll be alright. Kris is just...," she trailed off, glancing over her shoulder at a crash from the other room.

Sven whined, pushing his muzzle into Anna's hand.

"Yeah...He's just a little upset, and...and lost," Anna sighed, brushing her fingers against the dog's nose. "He's hurt, and taking it out on us. I'm sure he doesn't _mean_ to, Sven. Some people just...do that." Pausing for a moment, Anna made her way back into the den.

Kristoff might not _believe_ that he was nice, but Anna was going to remind him that he was. He had been right about _her_ being nice, and cheerful, and all of that - so she was going to be _nice_, and do something she thought was _nice_, and try to get Kristoff to see that he was a good person.

"Come on, Sven, I think some cookies are needed to fix this situation."

* * *

><p>"Two weeks, that's gotta be a record," Kristoff muttered to himself, messing thick fingers into his hair.<p>

It had only taken him a couple of weeks to chase Anna off, and, to be honest, he felt pretty bad about the whole thing. Anna wasn't the first to try - friends, family, they'd tried as well - but she had stuck around longer then some, and she was _nice_. He appreciated it, even if he didn't say so. Kristoff didn't mean to come off as brash or crude, unapproachable or anti-social - not all the time, at least. He tried - had _been_ trying with Anna - but it wasn't easy for him, and some people just...couldn't see it, or didn't stay long enough to.

People were not something Kristoff understood. It took him longer to feel comfortable, to make connections, or to just understand someone else.

Throughout his life, people had not been an easy issue.

"Looks like it's just you and me again, buddy," he sighed, tired eyes grazing over the well-worn photo on his computer desk. It wasn't in a frame, Kristoff liked to handle it too much to put it behind glass, and it was creased and faded rather badly.

But it was of him and Sven, his brother - not tied by blood, but brothers all the same - and no matter how haggard the picture got, Kristoff would never part with it.

Sven was - _is_ - his constant.

Kristoff had gotten rid of so many things after coming home from the war. None of it meant anything without him, without his li'l bro, but this picture? It had survived over years, overseas, through gunfights - what have you. It was like a physical manifestation of their bond.

Unbreakable.

_"Sven!"_

Unbreakable.

_"Come on, buddy, come on..."_

Unbreakable...

_"Sven, don't leave me here alone..."_

Un...break...able...

"Kristoff?"

The blond's gaze shifted to the door in confusion, lifting his head off the pillow he'd face-planted into. "...Anna?" he mumbled, slowly hauling himself off his bed and trudging to cautiously open the door. Half edging out of the doorway, Kristoff was more than surprised to see Anna; he'd thought she'd left half an hour ago. Adding to his befuddlement, Anna was holding a plate of cookies...? He assumed they were cookies - they smelled like cookies - but they didn't really look like cookies; they were funny, oddball shapes with weird frosting designs on them.

"Um," Anna fidgeted a little, an awkward smile on her freckled face as she offered up the plate of misshapen cookies, "I made cookies!"

"I can...see that," Kristoff replied, uncertain. "Why?"

Stepping back a little, bringing her attention down to the overly stacked plate to pick out a triangular shaped cookie, Anna stuck her hand out and offered it to him; trying to lure him out of the room like a hungry animal.

"C'mon, they're not gonna bite you. They're cute, aren't they? Look, look! I made this one into the Triforce! I mean, it wasn't _supposed_ to be a Triforce cookie, but, hey!" Anna beamed, waving the triangle cookie slathered in yellow frosting around. "...Zelda games are kind of the only ones I know anything about, and even that's not much, because I would get stuck on a puzzle and give up."

Raising an eyebrow, Kristoff gingerly accepted the doughy baked treat.

"It's a...um, an apology cookie. You know, for earlier. I'm not sure what I did _exactly_, but I'm-"

"Not your fault, really," Kristoff interrupted, taking a moment to eye the not-so neat design on the cookie before biting into it. Despite it's rather terrible-looking appearance, it was perfection; crispy on the edges, but soft and chewy near the center. "You didn't...You didn't know." Another, larger bite. "I don't play those sorts of games with the sound on, 'cause..."

Anna took a cookie for herself, nibbling on it absently as she listened to him.

Clearing his throat, Kristoff dug around in his hoodie for a moment, pulling out his dog tags. Didn't matter if he wasn't "in" anymore, it was just too much of an important thing back when he was not to lose these. "First lieutenant Kristoff Bjorgman - well..._former_ first lieutenant," he said, broad shoulders shrugging in an attempt to look nonchalant about it.

"Oh..._Oh_! Oh, my gosh! Kris, I'm so sorry!" Anna gushed, nearly dropping her plate of cookies.

"Hey, not your fault, like I said," Kristoff breathed out through his nose, giving her a small, reassuring smile. "I didn't say anything, and how could you have _guessed_? I...know I should have mentioned something sooner about the noise thing, but-"

"But it's not easy to talk about," Anna broke in, her expression understanding. "I get it, Kris."


End file.
